Sluggish Bowel: Symptoms, Causes & Natural Remedies

What is a sluggish bowel?

A sluggish bowel, sometimes called a ‘lazy gut’, is mainly characterised by slow intestinal transit.

It is generally accompanied by a feeling of heaviness in the abdomen, bloating, gas and, at times, mild to moderate constipation.

Unlike chronic constipation, which is persistent and may require medical treatment, a sluggish bowel is an intermittent functional disorder, linked to less efficient bowel activity.

Although similar, it is also different from occasional constipation, which occurs in isolation, often following a change in lifestyle (when travelling, after a change in diet, etc.).

This digestive disorder, which is common but sometimes downplayed, can have a real impact on quality of life, causing abdominal discomfort, fatigue, reduced energy or even mood changes.

What causes a sluggish bowel?

Several factors can explain the phenomenon of a sluggish bowel. They are often linked to our modern lifestyles:

• being too sedentary: lack of physical activity naturally slows down bowel movements;
• eating a diet too low in fibre, too high in refined sugars, ultra-processed foods and alcohol: these factors contribute to intestinal inertia;
• experiencing stress, anxiety, chronic fatigue or overwork: as the brain and intestine are closely linked via the intestine-brain axis, an emotional imbalance can have a direct impact on transit (1);
• taking certain medications that can affect transit (particularly certain psychotropic or pain-relieving drugs) (2);
• having an imbalance in the intestinal microbiota: an impoverished or unbalanced flora slows down the fermentation of fibres and can lead to irregular transit (3).

Natural solutions to stimulate a sluggish bowel

Sluggish bowels are not inevitable, and there are a number of things you can do to boost their function.

Adopt a healthy lifestyle and diet to promote intestinal health

A sluggish bowel can often be improved with a few simple measures, with diet playing a key role:

• gradually increase your intake of dietary fibre (fruit, vegetables, wholegrain cereals, pulses) to stimulate intestinal peristalsis and improve stool consistency (4);
• make sure you add foods rich in prebiotics to your meals (onions, garlic, honey, etc.) to ‘feed’ the good bacteria in your intestines (5);
• drink enough water to hydrate the fibre you eat and make your stools softer;
• practise a gentle but regular form of physical activity (walking, swimming, yoga) to encourage abdominal movements that massage the abdomen and facilitate bowel movements;
• practice relaxation techniques (breathing, meditation, cardiac coherence) to calm the nervous system and help improve digestive problems.

Senna: a plant traditionally used to combat constipation

When constipation sets in, certain plants can provide rapid relief.

Senna, for example, is traditionally used to promote intestinal transit.

This plant contains sennosides which stimulate colonic contractions and reduce the absorption of water contained in the stools, which are then softer (6).

Senna is very powerful, so be sure to use it only occasionally and not for prolonged periods.

Discover SennaLax, a dietary supplement containing senna extract standardised to 20% sennosides.

Psyllium, aloe vera and fennel for regular intestinal cleansing

Soluble fibres are ideal for restoring regular bowel movements.

They are found in particular in blond psyllium, whose mucilage in the seed coat forms a lubricating gel when in contact with water.

This helps to facilitate intestinal transit and soften stools (7).

Aloe vera also supports gastrointestinal health by contributing to intestinal movement. Effective intestinal contractions are essential to promote stool evacuation (8).

For its part, fennel is traditionally recognised for its action on digestive comfort. It promotes good intestinal transit and helps with flatulence (9) and stomach spasms.

Fennel contains essential oils with a carminative action that prevents the formation of gas and facilitates its expulsion, while also having an antispasmodic effect.

Discover Colon Cleanse Formula, a food supplement formulated with targeted natural extracts, including psyllium, aloe vera and fennel.

Butyrate and colon health

Butyrate is a short-chain fatty acid produced naturally by certain intestinal bacteria.

In the body, it plays a fundamental role in promoting the proper functioning of the colon by strengthening the intestinal barrier and helping balance the microbiota (10).

Tributyrin is a triglyceride made up of three butyrate molecules, which has been clinically studied in thousands of people suffering from IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome), a disorder characterised by stomach pains and transit problems.

Discover Butyrate Colon Formula food supplement standardised to 50% tributyrin, also rich in flavonoids, turmeric and peppermint.

Ferula asafoetida for slow digestion

Native to Asia, Ferula asafoetida (or asafoetida) is a plant traditionally used in Ayurvedic medicine to combat gastrointestinal discomfort and reduce bloating.

This plant secretes a gum-resin when its root is cut. This contains compounds (coumarins, ferulic acids, terpenoids, etc.) and essential oils, several of which are thought to have antispasmodic properties (11).

Discover our Ferula Asafoetida food supplement based on Asafin®, a high-quality asafoetidae resin extract.

Probiotic strains to support a balanced intestinal microbiota

Certain probiotic strains, such as Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, support the balance of the intestinal microbiota.

An unbalanced intestinal microbiota can slow down transit. This is because the microbiota influences the contractility of the intestines (12) and the absorption of water and nutrients from food.

A balanced microbiota therefore helps to relieve gastrointestinal discomfort and symptoms such as abdominal pain and flatulence.

Discover the Full Spectrum Probiotic food supplement, which contains 20 probiotic strains carefully selected and studied by the scientific community.